The Wine Guild's 2017 Wine tasting & Cuisine Events

Longtime friend and wine aficionado Steve Mancuso of Cincinnati coordinates the Holly Hill Inn Wine Guild program and events. The Wine Guild is fun, accessible, flexible — and free to join! Among the many benefits to being a Wine Guild member, periodically you will receive Barreling Along, our e-newsletter about Wine Guild events and interesting wine-related news. We’ve planned exciting one-time and recurring events of special interest to guild members, their families and friends. To join, e-mail your name and desired e-mail address to us.

In 2017, Steve has chosen the pairing of wine with food as the theme for the Holly Hill Inn Wine Guild.

From Steve: Those are two subjects near and dear to many of you. The right wine can make food taste better and vice versa. That's why this year the wine guild will take a close look at how they work together.

The pursuit is more art than science. In the end, it comes down to personal taste. Most wines go with most food. The choice of a wine, no matter how little thought you give it, is unlikely to ruin your meal. There aren’t singular Holy Grail pairings to be sought and revered.

But following certain guidelines in matching wine to food can enhance your overall culinary enjoyment. Understanding how the two interact and produce a dynamic synergy — where the combination is better than the sum of the individual parts — is the point of thinking about wine pairings.

There are many paths to a great match. So over the course of the year, we’ll look at several distinct ways to pair wine and food. Memorizing strict rules isn’t fun. Instead, we’ll develop a broad-based understanding of what is involved with pairing wine and food, so the process becomes instinctual.

Here is the schedule of our tastings for 2017:

Making Sense of FlavorJanuary 5-6

Getting the (Mouth) Feel of ItFebruary 2-3

The Weight of the WorldMarch 1-2

Grow Together, Go Together?April 12-13

Sunday Dinner: BurgundyApril 23

Pairing by Food TypeMay 4-5

Wine and Food: Northern ItalyJune 8-9

Sunday Dinner: Northern ItalyJune 25

Wine and Food: SpainJuly 6-7

Sunday Dinner: SpainJuly 22

Wine and Food: Southern ItalyAugust 3-4

Sunday Dinner: Southern ItalyAugust 20

Wine and Food: South AmericaSeptember 7-8

Sunday Dinner: South American AsadoSeptember 17

Wine and Food: Central EuropeOctober 4-5

Sunday Dinner: Central EuropeOctober 15

Wine and Food: Central FranceNovember 2-3

Our Annual CassouletNovember 12

The Cheese Never Stands AloneDecember 4-5

The tasting fee is $37 per person and includes samples of six wines, cheese and crackers, tax and gratuity. Two seatings are offered each evening at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required and should be made with Steve Mancuso by email.

The Holly Hill Inn has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2002.

The Holly Hill Inn's wine list features selections chosen carefully by owner Chris Michel. Chris is dedicated to finding the best and most interesting wines from the United States and abroad to pair with wife Ouita's cuisine. A popular feature is Chris' Wine Flight, which pairs three unique wines with three courses on the menu for one special price. Ask our staff to suggest wines by the glass or by the bottle that will complement your dining experience.